Illuminating device.



W. H. SPENCER.

ILLUMINATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 27, 1910.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911 4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

v INVENTOR:

* .521 car;

ATORNEYSI W. H. SPENCER. ILLUMINATING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION FILED DEC. 27, 1910.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS W. H. SPENCER.

ILLUMINATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION I'ILED DEC. 27, 1910.

"Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

58 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3, 6 2,2,

WITNESSES: F INVEN H JRZ T221511 .EFETIEEI;

Vb O Elisa/m,

ATTORNEYS W. H. SPENCER.

ILLUMINATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 27, 1910.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

lNVENTOR 3551115911 21m; W Mob ATgORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT orrroa.

WILLIAM H. SPENCER, NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE FRINK SPENCER,OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

ILLUMINATING. DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

Application filed December 27, 1910. Serial No. 599,470.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SPENCER, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IlluminatingDevices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description'of the invention, such as will onable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

The present invention relates, generally, to improvements inilluminating devices; and, the invention refers, more particularly, to anovel construction of illuminating device adapted to be used inconnection with bank-screens or partitions, counters, cashiercages, andsimilar arrangements.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide anilluminating device comprising the combination of acornice, lightdifiusing reflectors, and lighting units, all being combined andarranged in such a manner, so that when placed in proper p'osition upona partition on screen, such for example as are used in banks forseparating the different departments, the light-rays will be properlydirected and redirected so as to throw the maximum light-flux upon thearea to be illuminated, such as the desks or counters usually forming apart 'of the partitions or screens used in banks, counting houses,factory-offices, and the like.

A further object of the presei lt invention is to provide a novel andsimple construction of illuminating device which maybe artistically orornamenta'lly combined with screens or partitions; and, which will givea proper distribution of light in a deslred area, but which will shieldor screen the direct light from the eye, and will cause, furthermore, asoft and evenly diffused light upon the working surface or surfaces, the

direct glare of the light being eliminated.

Other objects of the invention not at this time more particularlyenumerated,.'will be clearly understood from the detailed description ofthe present invention.

With the various objects of the present invention in view, the saidinvention consists, primarily, in the novel construction of illuminatingdevices hereinafter set forth; and, furthermore, this inventionconsists, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the variousdevices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of thesaid parts, all of which will be hereinafter morethe counters or desksarranged therewith,

the same being provided with the novel illuminatlng devices constructedaccording to and. embodying the principles of the present invention.Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectionof the devices and partsrepresented in said Flg. 1, said section being taken on line 2-2 in saidFig.1, and the said View EIssua being made on an enlarged scale. F 3 isa vertical cross-section taken on line 3-3 in said Fig. 1, this Viewbeing also made on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a transverse verticalsection of thenovel illuminating device connected with the mainpartition or screen,

- similar'to that shown in Fig. 2, but the said View being made upon amuch enlarged scale; and Fig. 5 is a large detail vertical cross-sectionof the novel illuminating device connected with the stall orcage-partitions, similar to that shown in 3'.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all. ofthe abovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now'to the said drawings, the reference-character lvindicatesa main partition or screen, such for example as is used in banks,counting houses, factory-offices,

stores, and the like;'andthe reference-char-.

acter'2 indicates the stall or cage-partitions connected therewith,extending transversely with relation to the main partitions or screen 1,and adapted to separate the various bank-departments, or other departments from each other, as will be clearly evident from an inspection'ofsaid Fig. 1 of the drawings. Connected with said main partition orscreen 1, and said stall or 'cagepartitions, are the usual desks orcounters 3, the said main partitions or screen being further providedwith the usual openings or windows 1 and the window ledges 5.

The novel illuminating device connected with the said main partition orscreen 1 is of the general configuration and construction hereinaftermore fully set forth, and the same is secured upon the upper portion ofthe said partition or screen 1, so as to extend along its entire length.This illuminating device comprises a casing or shell (5, said casing orshell 6 being constructed and ornamented in such a manner, so as to takethe place of the ordinary ornamental cornice with which such partitionsor screens are usually provided, and thus initself providing a cornicefor the said partition or screen. The said cornice-casing G, as it maybe termed, overhangs the inner side of the said main partition or screen1, and the same is provided on its under side with a longitudinallyextending opening, along one margin of which extends an inwardlyprojecting ledge or flange 7. Arranged with- 5 in the interior of saidcornice-casing 6 is the shell of a reflector-shell, said shell extending in a longitudinal direction through out the inner portion of thereflector. Said reflector-shell comprises an upright wall or member 8which is provided with an outwardly projecting trough-like member 9, thesaid upright wall or member 8 may be secured, in any suitable manner, toa suitable flange or rib 10 with which said cornice- 5 casing 6 may beprovided. Connected with the upper portion of said upright wall ormember 8 is a series of reflector-supporting facets or faces 11, thesame extending across the upper interior part of the said cornicecasing6, and being arranged at proper angles to support a suitable number ofreflecting elements in a manner to properly direct and reflect the lightof one or more light-units in desired directions. Connected with saidreflectonsupporting facets or faces 11 is another upright wall or member12, the same being secured, in any suitable manner, to some convenientpart of the Walls of said cornice-casing 6. Properly disposed andconnected with said reflectorsupporting facets or faces 11 are suitablyformed channel-bars 13, the same serving to support and retain upon saidreflector-sup porting facets or faces 11, suitable reflectormembers orelement-s 14, the latter being preferably made of silvered glass of anyde sirable form. Said trough-like member 9, which provides a wiringconduit or trough,

. is adapted to receive the walls 15 of a light or lamp-supportingmember 16, to retain the latter in its proper position and to supportlighting units in proper relation to said wiring-conduit or trough, andsaid reflectormembers. Said lamp'supporting member 16 is provided, atsuitable distances, preferably twelve inches apart, with holes orperforations 17, adapted to receive the sockets or brackets 18 ofsuitable lamps 19, each socket or bracket 18 being provided with amarginal flange 20 for engaging the inner 79 side of1saidlamp-supporting member 16. The wires 21 of the lamps 19 extend throughthe said sockets or brackets 18 and penetrate within said wiring-trough,where the same are properly and electrically connected in circuit withthe main line or feed-wires 22. The upright walls or members 8 and 12arealso provided with a plurality of holes or openings 23 for thepurposesof ventilation and for carrying away, from the interior of thesaid reflector-shell, the heat generated by the said lamps. In likemanner, the said cornice-casing is also provided with a plurality ofholes or openings 24 in its upper wall, which provide an outlet for theheat within said reflector-shell and the cornicecasing which collectsfrom said lamps, thus keeping the interior of the various devices andparts cool, and consequently prolonging the life of the lamps. Disposedalong 9 the lower marginal edge of said upright wall or member 8 is asuitably formed hingeelement 25 to which is pivotally connected, bymeans of corresponding hinge-elements 26 and a pintle 27, a frame 28designed to 5 support across the opening in the bottom of saidcornice-casing 6 a light-diffusing and softening screen 29, the latterbeing preferably made of ground glass, or some similar and suitablematerial. The outer marginal edge 30 of the said frame 28 is providedwith suitable latch-members 31, said members 31 being formed withmanipulating knobs 32, and the said latch-members being adapted toengage the inwardly projecting ledge or flange 7 of the cornice-casing 6to retain said frame 28 and screen 29 in their operative positions. Saidframe 28 may be divided into suitable sections, of any desired lengths,so that the same may be conveniently opened to give access to any partof the interior of said cornice-casing (5, as will be clearly evident.

As thus constructed and arranged, with relation to the said partition orscreen 1,, the novel illuminating device herein-above described not onlyprovides an ornamental completion of said partition or screen 1, butalso so disposes of the lighting units and reflecting members, that thebest lightefliciency and light diffusion is produced.

The reflector-members 14 are disposed at such suitable angles, so that amaximum lightflux is directed over the entire working sur face of thedesk or counter 3; and, further. 12 more,the high reflecting andconcentrating power of the said reflector-members 11 permits the use oflamps of approximately low candle-power. Said lamps being spaced atproper and suitable intervals throughout the length of saidcornice-casing 6, and their light being directed from the variousreflector-points or sources, causes such a distribution of light as toenable the clerk to work in any position, when writing either left-handorright-hand, Without producing annoying shadows. Furthermore, the useof said softening and diffusing screen 29 screens thedirect light fromthe eyes of the clerk or clerks, and causes an even and soft diffusionof the light, without glare, upon the working surface of said desk orcounter.

Usually in the construction of bank-partitions or screens, what aretermed stall or cage-partitions are provided for the purpose ofseparating the various public windows and departments from each other.In

such construction, the said stall or cage partitions 2 are also providedwith the said cornice-casings 6 which are arranged to join or abut thesaid cornice-casin 6 of the main partitions or screen 1, sn stantiallyas illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Said cornice-casing 6 in suchcase, however, is so arranged as to overhang each side of the stall orcage-partition, and the interior arrangement of the reflector-membersand lighting-units within said cornicecasing 6, thus disposed, isslightly modified to meet the requirements of this construction. Thearrangement of the said cornicecasing 6, and its slightly modifiedinterior construction upon a stall or cage-partition is clearlyillustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the accompanying drawings. In this construction, the reflector-shell is supported within the upper interiorart of said cornice-casing 6, the said re ector-shell com-;

prising a trough-like member 33, which provides a wiring-trough orconduit, the same being centrally disposed and extending longitudinallythroughout the length of said cornice-casing. Extending from each sideof said trough-like member 33 is a set of reflector-supporting facets orfaces 34, the free marginal edges of which may besuitably secured to therespective walls of the said cornice-casing 6. Properly disposed andconnected with said reflector-supporting facets or faces 34 arechannel-like bars 35, which serve to support and retain upon saidreflector-supportmg facets or faces 34 suitable reflector-members orelements 36, the latter being preferablymade of silvered .glass of anydesirable form, or other similar supporting member 38 is provided, atsuitable intervals, preferably t welve' inches apart, with holes oropenings -39 adapted to receive the sockets or brackets 40 of lamps 41,each socket or bracket 40 being provided with amarginal flange 42 forengaging the inner side of said lamp-supporting member 38. The wires 43of eachlamp 41 extend through said sockets or brackets 40 and penetratewithin the said'wiring-trough or conduit, where they'are properly andelectrically connected in circuit with the main line or feed wires 22,arranged within said wiring-trough or conduit. Said reflectorshell isprovided, adjacent to'its marginal edges, with suitable openings 44providing means for ventilating and carrying off the heat generatedbysaid lamps, said heat finally escaping through the holes or openings 24with which said cornice-casing 6 is provided, substantially in themanner herein-above described. Said cornice-casing 6 is also providedwith a pivotally connected frame 28, and a light-diffusing and softeningscreen 29, hereinbefore described, the same being connected, however, bymeans of a hinge element 45 with which one wall of the saidcornice-casing 6 is provided. The said frame 28 is also provided withthe latch-members 31 and manipulating knobs 32, the former of whichengages said ledge or flange-7 of said cornice-casing 6, in the 'mannerherein-above set forth.

The stall or cage-partition 2 is provided with open or cut-away spaces46 lying directly beneath the illuminating devices, so that the lightmaybe directed and diffused upon the surfaces of the desk or counter,upon either side of-the said stall or cage partition. Thereflector-members 36 are arranged in such a manner, so that the maxi mumflux of lightfrom the lamps 41-is directed upon said deskorcounter-surfaces upon both sides of said stall or cage partition,whereby this arrangement of the devices and parts has all the efficiencyand attributes hereinabove mentioned.

It will thus be understood, that by means of the present invention, 1have produced a novel construction of illuminating device peculiarlyadapted for use with that class of partitions used in banks,counting-houses, factory-oflices, stores, and for all similar work andpurposes, the same presenting a sightly concealment of the lighting unitor units, and at the same time locating the same and controlling thelight generated thereby, in such a manner, so as to gain a maximumefliciency .of light-tone, diffusion, and distribution.

I am aware that changes may be made in the general arrangements andcombinations of-the various devices and parts, as well as in the detailsof the construction of the same, as described in the accompanyingspecification, and without departing from I do not limit my presentinvention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the devices andparts as set forth in the foregoing specification, nor do I confinemyself to the exact details of the Construction of the said parts, asillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim:

An illuminating device comprising acornicecasing provided with alongitudinally extending opening in the bottom thereof, areflector-shell extending longitudinally within the interior of saidcornice casing, reflector members supported by said reflector-shell, aplurality of lamps or lighting units supported beneath saidreflector-shell and its reflector-members, and a light-softening anddiflusing screen pivotally supported across said longitudinallyextending opening in the bottom of said cornice-casing, 20

\VILLIAM H. SPENCER.

\Vitnesses ALBERT P. BENITO, CHAS. K. VVrA'i'r.

